Glittering In The Rain
Phua Makes Statement
22 year-old
Phua Ming Xin might have been content playing second fiddle to
Gústav Thoroddsen since the latter's arrival, but his epic performance against Mayuyu AKB48 today was a reminder that he remained very much a star in his own right. A second career hat-trick was the reward for his ceaseless badgering of ageing Slovakian captain Rudolf Kefalín on the right, with the hosts unable to adequately support their forward line.
Dimitris Germanakos would return after having been absent for the reverse fixture, that had Hunor Inczédi put one past
Cameron Law - and his seventh in total. Otherwise, it was a stolid and dependable 4-4-2 from German head coach Hans-Reiner Schippe, who has been facing increasing pressure from the demanding home fans. There would be no respite today, despite Mayuyu slowing the game down well in the initial exchanges, albeit with Turkish goalie Hızır Arkın out in the 24th minute with a torn left hamstring.
Mayuyu AKB48 would at least have a like-for-like replacement in Philip Boestlinger, but the Swiss goalkeeper would not be able to take them to half-time unbeaten. The Birds' insistence on narrow play took plenty of time to bear fruit, but it was all worth it when
Phua Ming Xin elbowed his way ahead of Kefalín, to drop a lob over Boestlinger. In contrast,
Gústav Thoroddsen was presented with it on a platter on Grilled's free-kick in the next minute, but his standing foot slipped, and the chance went begging.
There was an aggressive finish to the half as the Birds flooded the Mayuyu box - which was literally flooded too, after the relentless rainfall - and wingback Dávid Zalka would regret trying to play it back into the centre, when his intentions were read by
Brian Reddy, who inserted himself in front of Boestlinger and flicked it home with the inside of his heel.
Lim An Keng attempted to go for it as the last few seconds ticked down, and wasn't too far off with his audacious try from near the halfway line.
Federico Parada entered for
Egemen Dinçer Ferzan at half-time, buoyed by renewed interest from the Bolivian national side, and it would soon be time for
Gústav Thoroddsen's obligatory strike ten minutes into the new half. There didn't appear to be much space for
Chia Kwang Tse's through ball to land in as he squeezed it inside two defenders, but the waterlogged turf kept it in - and Thoroddsen's instincts were far too good, not to prey on such.
It would be the turn of another underrated scorer, as
Brian Reddy cast off his cloak of assistance, to exploit a slow-turning Dávid Zalka down the right. Zalka would once again not watch his back when making a pass, and after Reddy clipped it sideways,
Orest Tokarz would promptly take it inside, before reversing it for a grateful Reddy to tap in.
Phua Ming Xin would go the direct route two minutes later once he got a look in, and it was 5-0 after 68 minutes.
All that was left was the hat-trick for Phua or Reddy - or both, and Grilled would keep pressing with that clearly in mind. They came good through Phua in the 80th minute, as Ahola's proximity gave Kefalín false assurance about the forward being under tabs. That all evaporated as Phua left Ahola for dead with an unexpected swivel, and the finish was crisp and to the top corner.